Article sorting conveyer unit



Oct. 28, 1952 H. w. BALL m'n. 36 556 ARTICLE' SORTING CONVEYER UNIT Filed March 9, 1948 5 Sheetg-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HAROLD 14 BALL BY FERDINAND l-T STANGE W f PM v ATTORNE Y5.

Oct. 2-8, 1952 H. w. BALL ETA]- 2,615,566

ARTICLE SORTING CONVEYER 01m Filed March 9, 1948 SfiSh'Qets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS H/mow 14/. BALL FERDINAND l-T STANGE Oct. 2-8, 1952 H. w. BALL EI'AL ARTICLE SORTING CONVEYER ur'm' Filed March 9, 1948 B Silesia-Sheet 4 INVENTORS: H/mow MK BALL Oct. 28, 1952 H.w. BALL Emu.

ARTICLE SORTING CONVEYER UNIT 5 SheetsSheet 5 Filed March 9, 1948 INVENTORS H/MOLD I44 BALL y FERD/NAND E STANGE i )1 I WFQM M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 v 'iilmMass assignors to Foster Machine Company, West'fieldfiMasa, a corporation of Massa- ApplicaltiofiMarh 9, 1948, Serial No. 13358 19' Claims.

11 p v This-invention relates to articlesorting-devices and more particularly .to'ia': conveyor unitadapted for selectively segregating. bobbins,v or similar thread oryarn carriersin accordance-with" the presenceor absence "of residual yarn thereon while conveying the bobbins between a plurality of stations;

More specificaliy,;the present invention relates to a'bobbin conveying and-=sorting unit of-thc character specified which .is particularly-adapted for usein conjunction with "conventionalwinding machines for receiving used- -bobbins'as-they --are dofied therefrom; 'transferring the bobbins to a sorting. conveyor 'whereon'the bobbins are segregated 'fina'ccordance with the absence or presence o'f'resi'dual yarn thereon-while conveying the-bobbinsto a dischargestationxand selectively diverti'ng'the segregated'bobbinsinto-separate paths at the discharge "station iorgravitat'ion into suitable receptacles'whereby the'sorting. of doffe'd bobbins and/orsalvage of residual y'arn is -exp'edited.

Objects and advantages of the 'invention will be 'setfor'th" in part hereinafter and in part willbe'obvious herefrom, '-or=maybe learned by practice with the invention, the 'sa-mebeing realized and'attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended daims.

The inventionconsi'sts the novel parts;-constru'otions; arrangements; combinations' andiimprovementshereinshownanddescribed.

The accompanying drawings; z-referredto herein and constituting "a parthereofl' illustrate embodiments" of the invention, and together with the following description, serve wexpiam the principlesthereof.

Figure l 'is'a side-viewin elevation of asorting conveyor unit constructed in accordance with the presentinvention; v

Figurezis ani'end'view'in elevation as-seen from the right of Figure -1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical-sectional" view taken on theline' 3--'-3"'o'f'1=igure 1;'

"Figure 4 :isa *verticar'sectionar view-takenon theline 1-4 of 3';

Figure 5 'isa vertical sectional view partly in elevation'takenonthe line 5 5 of Figure 3;;

Figure Gisa transverse sectional view taken on the'lineG-B of Figure fit; and

Figure '7 i's'a; fra"gmentarydetailview in perspeetive illustrating one of the conveyor flight units.

Article :sort'ing'. apparatus constructed in accordance with the "present invention comprises means for receiving bobbinsras they 'are discarded from a winding or other bobbin using-machine and for feeding'the discarded'bobbins'to asorting conveyor unit whereinthe bobbins are positioned transversely of the conveyor 'unit. and subsequently adjusted-relative. thereto accordance 2 with the p'resence or absence. of residual. yarn thereon, and thereafter selectively diverted I into separate paths on an inclined chute constituting,

thedischarge end of theconveyor unit.

Means for receivingand transferring the bobbins to'the sortingrconveyor unit may comprise a suitable conveyor belt operable inaa 'guideway or trough which in the case of utilization with a winding machine, v'a'dapted for automatically dofiing used bobbins, .maytexte'nd throughout the length of the winding machine and in a position to receive the ibobbinszas: they are doifed therefrom. :Alternately, if the winding machine is such that the .used bobbins must be doffed manually, the conveyor belt may extend along the machine, with which it is to be used, at a convenient. locality toreceive the bobbins as they are discarded by hand.

At one endportionof the conveyor unit, means are provided in the .xpath thereof for deflecting bobbins itherefromtintoa hopper. As each bobbin drops into the hopper, it is. oriented and centered with respect to a sorting conveyor, forming a continuation of the conveyor unit. and subsequently picked. up. and advanced to a discharge chute. Duringmovement of the bobbins to the discharge chute, each bobbin is automatically adjusted, relative to the sortingconveyor, inaccordance. withthetpresence or absence of residual yarn thereon.

.Immediatelyprior'to the discharge of the bobbinsfrom the sorting conveyor means projecting into the path'of the sorting conveyor are encountered. by one end of each bobbin having residual yarn thereon whereby SHChibObbll'lS are slewed out of the path of the sorting conveyor and dischargedtherefrom at an oblique angle onto the discharge chute for gravitation into a suitable receptacle therefor.

With respect to such bobbins, on the sorting conveyor which are-devoid of residual yarn thereon, additional means projecting into the path of the sortingconveyor, are encountered by one end and sorting mechanism, generally'indicated at l0, comprises a primary conveyor H,. a pair of rigidly connected, oppositely disposed pedestal supports l2 including a motor '13, a secondary conveyor l4 and a pair of oppositely spaced, vertically disposed sorting conveyor units 15. The pedestal supports l2 may form a continuation of the winding machine frame or separately connected thereto by suitable extension members, as indicated at I6 for example. Alternatively, the pedestal supports l2 may be connected to the secondary conveyor i4 and sorting conveyors l as a unit.

In accordance with the invention, each of the pedestal supports 12 are provided with a bearing bracket H and I8 suitably secured thereto in superposed relation with their respective bores disposed in axial alignment normal thereto, a shaft, 19 mounting a pair of spaced pulleys 29 for rotation therewith being journalled in and between the bearing brackets 11, and a shaft 2! mounting a pair similarly spaced pulleys 22 for rotation therewith being iournalled in the hearing brackets l8 with its pulleys-22 in vertical alignment with but spaced from the pulleys on the shaft l9.

As shown in Figure 1, the motor 13 is suitably secured on a laterally extending platform bracket 23 forming a part of one of the pedestal supports I2, adjacent its upper end, and includes a reduction gear drive terminating in a drive sprocket 24. Torque is transmitted from the drive sprocket 24 to the shaft l9 by means of a chain 25 reaching from the sprocket 24 to a sprocket 26 secured on the shaft [9 adjacent one end thereof, and from the shaft Hi to the shaft 2| by means of a chain reaching between a sprocket secured on the shaft l9, adjacent its opposite end, and a sprocket secured on the shaft 2 I' in alignment therewith.

A pair of spaced, parallel conveyor belts 39 indicated by the broken lines in Figure l and leading from a pair of suitably journalled idler pulleys (not shown) or from a power take-off arrangement on a winding or other. bobbin using machine, pass about the pulleys 20 on the shaft 19 and constitute the primary conveyor H for supplying used bobbins to the secondary conveyor l' l forming a part of the conveying and sorting unit it. The path of each of the conveyor belts 3B is preferably bounded by a suitable guide-way or trough whereby to maintain bobbins on and in the path of the conveyor belts 30.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the pulleys .22 carried by the shaft 2|, constituting one end of the secondary conveyor it, are connected by means of a pair of conveyor belts 3i to a'pair of spaced pulleys 32 journalled on ashaft 33 which is journalled in parallelism with the shaft 21', on and between a pair of suitable bearing brackets 34 each secured, as at 35, adjacent one end portion of the sorting conveyor units 15 whereby the conveyor belts 3| extend between the sorting units I5 in spaced relation thereto.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the belts 3|, constituting the secondary conveyor (4, operate in a pair of guide troughs 36, including upwardly inclined extensions 31 at one end thereof, which are supported in cooperative relation therewith by means of suitable adjustable brackets 38 disposed at one end thereof, and at their opposite end by suitable angle brackets 39 connected between each trough and the adjacent side wall of each sorting conveyor unit l5 whereby bobbins discharged from the primary conveyor H are guided onto the secondary construction and operation thereof are identical,

only one of the units 15 will be described in connection with one of the belts 3 I.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 6, each of the sorting conveyor'units l5 comprise a vertically disposed, elongated rectangular casing 46 having a rectangular inlet opening 4| in one side wall thereof adjacent its bottom end, a rectangular outlet opening 32 in its opposite side wall adjacent its upper end, and a plurality of angle brackets 43 secured to its bottom end adapted for securing the casing 4B to a supporting surface inspaced relation thereto.

Thesorting conveyorun'it is further comprises a lower shaft- 538 and an'upper shaft 45 journalled centrally of the casing 49 in'vertically spaced alignment by means of a plurality of bearing brackets 46 suitably secured to the op-' posite end wallsthereof, and a pair of spaced sprockets 47, secured on each of the shafts 44 and 35 for rotation therewith, connected by a pair of sprocket chains lilhavin'g'a'plurality of bobbin conveyor fiigh ts 49 secured thereon nor-o mal thereto in equally spaced'relationl The conveyor f lights l'a each comprise a transverse supporting bar 50 secured to and between the chains 48 with a pairof angle arms 5| s'e-" cured normal thereto adjacentits opposite ends,

and a pair of intermediate Tangle arms 52"also' secured to the bar 50 normal thereto inc-spaced relation to each other and to the angle arms 5|, the free endportionsof the angle arms 52 being curved in the, direction of travel as at 53, and extended outwardly of the chains 48 sub-v stantially beyond the freeends ofthe'angle armsv 5! as best shown in Figure'l.

Means for driving the sorting conveyor units [5 from the,secondaryconveyorl l comprises'a sprocket 54 secured on the hollow shaft 33'.intermediatethe pulleys 32 with a reach of chain 55 extending from the, sprocket 54 to a sprocket 55 secured on and intermediatethe ends of a counter-shaft 51 parallel-with the shaft: 33 and with: its opposite end portions journalled in the casings lflnormaltheretoonthe axial center. of the lower sorting conveyor shaft 44 by means of a bearing bracket 58 suitably secured to the inner side wall of each casing 48. A miter gear 59 secured on each opposite end'of the shaft"?! meshing with a miter gear 66) securedfon and adjacent one end of the lower shaft it in each conveyor unit it.

Means for feedingbobbinsfrom either side of the secondary conveyor I lto the sorting conveyor unitlE comprises a rectangularchute'pr hopper 6i suitably secured to theadiacent side wall of the casing lilin inclinedrelation thereto" with its lower end portion 82 extending't'hrough the-inlet opening ii therein and into the path' of the conveyor flights c9, and itsropposit'e endportion 63.

extending under and 'i'nto, the path of'the ad-' veyor l4 and maintained on and in the path thereof jacent belt it of the conveyor [4, a suitably shaped finger t4 includin'g'a stop plate'lili normal thereto being secured, at one endthereof, tothe far side wall 66 of thehopperfitto e xtendj' stream and atan'obli'q-ue angleacros's thepath amazes of its slotted end -62 and so spaced in aligned registration with the slots 61 whereby 'to-provide a bobbin arresting abutment on the lower end;

The hopper 6| is'further provided with a -substantially half-round bar suitably securedto the floor thereof in transverse relation intermediate its ends whereby bobbins, immediately after their deflection from the conveyor 14, are momentarily arrested and more or less oriented into a position crosswise-of the hopper for subsequent engag-ement with a plurality'of flexible planemembers H suitably secured at one endzt'o atransverse bar 12 disposedacross the upper end of the inlet opening 4| in'the casing 49, withthe members 1i depending therefrom into the hopper 6| normal thereto for orienting the descending bobbins into a position transversely of the hopper, the impact of the bobbins flexing the members '1 l asin Figure 3, whereby the bobbins are free to pass under the ends'of the members 1|. 7 .7

After each oriented bobbin has passed under the free ends of the flexible members H, the opposite ends thereof encounter a pair of oppositely disposed leaf springs 13, suitably secured at one end to the inner side wallsof the hopper BI and with their free end portions adjusted relativeto the-hoppenin accordancewith the length of the bobbins being handled and with respect to the center of the conveyor flights 49, by a pair of adjustable studs '14 threaded through the hopper side walls BBwhereby each bobbin is guided to the lower end 62 of the hopper in central alignment with the conveyor flights 49.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4 a bobbin at rest on the lower end '52 of the hopper 61 is initially engaged and elevated, upon operation of the .conveyor chains 48, by the intermediate angle arms 52 of one of the conveyorflights 49 until the bobbin has cleared the inclined end plate :69 on the hopper 6| whereupon the bobbin is :free to roll, on the inclined portion 53 of the angle arms 52 into normal seating engagement with all .four angle .arms of the conveyor. flight 49.

As each "conveyor flight 49 with a bobbin so positioned thereon moves upwardly, one end face of all Ibobbinsso carried, encounters :a rigid plate member disposed on a horizontal bar 16 suitably secured to and between opposite side walls of the casing 40-with the member 15 slightly inclined toward one of the conveyor chains 48 whereby all bobbins, either bare or with residual yarn thereon, are shifted relative to and transversely of the conveyor flights 49 as indicated at A for example in Figure 4.

, During further upward movement of bobbins so positioned on the conveyor flights 49, the opposite end face of all bobbins also encounters a multileaf or single leaf spring 11, suitably connected atone 'end thereof to'a horizontal bar 18 secured to and between opposite side walls of the casing 40 with-the leaf spring 11 slightly inclined toward the opposite conveyor chain 48, whereby bare bobbins, as indicated at C in Figure -4, are shifted relative to and transversely of the conveyor flights-49 in the opposite direction, the leaf spring Tl having suchadegree of flexibility that it is inefiective to shift or move bobbins having residual yarn thereon as indicated at D in Figure 4. Thus, bare bobbins and bobbins having residual yarn thereon, are automatically adiusted in staggered relation to each other and thus sorted while being carried on'th' con'vleyofi flights 49 substantially between the lower 'and upper conveyor shaft 44 :and '45 bf each sortlng conveyor unit l5. r H 1 v 1 Referring toFigures-S, 4 and 5, means fo'rv'dischargingsorted bobbins from the conveyorflights 49 comprises abar l9 secured at its oppositeen'ds to and between the end :wallsaof the'nasing 140 di-. rectly over and in alignment with-1the sliaflimi, and a pair of rigid fingers 80 and 181 suitably secured atone end thereof to the -barf19in spaced relation and depending therefrom, each :tdwn'e side of each conveyorchain 48, whereby the finger 80 projects into the :path of 'one end of the bare bobbins and 'the'finger 9| into the path of lone end of the bobbins having residual yarn-thereon.

Thus, as the bobbins'are brought into engage-. ment with the flngers 80 and '81, they aresuc cessively slewed from the conveyor flights 49 at an oblique angle, as exemplified in' Figur-e ,5,"into opposite diverging paths on an inclined-discharge dischargechute82 atitsouteren'd and'exten-ding longitudinally thereof toward its opposite end, serves as a barrier whereby to obviatethe pos' sibility of a slewed bobbin rolling otherwise than toward one side of the-discharge chute-as will be understood. V The conveyor unit I5 is further-provided with a tapered,- rectangular channel member'flt disposed within the casing 40 longitudinallythereof with its bottom end suitably'secured to "tl'ieup standing end of the hopper'end plates 68, as 'at 81, and its uppermost end suitably secured'to -a supporting bar 88 extending between 'the'conveyor chains with its Opposite ends sec ured to and between the opposite end'walls of the "cas' ing 40 normal thereto as at 89 whereby-to protect the lower sprockets 41 and'c'liain's 49 against as; cidentally displaced bobbins falling therebe tween by returning such bobbinsto theihopper 61;.

While the invention has been ,illustratedland described with respect to aipreferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that various changes and modifications may bezmade therein without departing from they inventive concept underlying the same Therefore, thetinvention is not-to be limited except insofaras is necessitated by the prior-artandthescope of the appended claims. 5

What is claimed is: j

1. Article sorting apparatuscomprising'a'conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon a plurality of articles about-"their periphery intermediate the-ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, a plurality of'pressure ex erting means disposed on opposite sides of and in the path of said conveyor andacting'first on'one end'andthen on the other end'of'the'articleaone of said pressure exerting means exerting'yielding pressure for staggerin the supported-articles rel 'ative to each other in accordance with thepres ence or absence of wound material on the exterior thereof, and means disposed inthe patlfof the staggered articles for causing said conveyor to discharge the staggered articles therefrom iniamuse 7 to-separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor. l

2. Article sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon a plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, a plurality of pressureexerting means disposed on opposite sides of and in'the path of said conveyor and acting first on one end and then on the other end of the articles, one of said pressure exerting means exerting yielding pressure v for staggering the supported articles relative to each other transversely of said conveyor in response to movement thereof in accordance with varying frictional characteristics of the exterior of said articles, and means disposed in the path of the staggered articles for causing. said conveyor to discharge the staggered articles therefrom into separate paths diverging from the path of said conveyor in response to movement thereof.

3. Article sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon a plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, a plurality of pressure exertin means disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent said conveyor and in the path of the articles thereon and acting first on one end and then on the other end of the articles, one of said pressure exerting means exerting yielding pressure for selectively oppositely shifting the supported articles relative to each other transversely of said conveyor in accordance with variations in the frictional contact of said articles on said supporting means, and means disposed in the path of the oppositely shifted articles for causing said conveyor to discharge said shifted articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor,

4. Article sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor including means for individually su portingthereon a plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means for feeding articles into the path of said supporting means, a plurality of pressure exerting means disposed on opposite sides of and in the path of said conveyor and acting first on one end and then on theother end of the articles, one of said pressure exerting means exerting yielding pressure for staggering articles supported thereon relative to each other transversely of said conveyor in accordance with the presence or absence of material on the exterior of said articles, and means disposedin the path of the staggered articles for causing said conveyor to discharge the staggered articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor.

5. Article sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon a plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means for feeding articles into the path of said supporting means, a plurality of pressure exerting means disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent said conveyor and in the pathof said articles and acting first on one end and then on the other end of the articles, one of said pressaid conveyor to discharge said articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor, r

6. Article sorting apparatus comprisinga conveyor includin means for individually support: ing thereon a,plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means for feeding and orienting articles into the path of said supporting means transversely of said conveyor whereby said articles are positioned on said supportingmeans in response to movement of said conveyor, a plurality of pressure exerting means disposed on 011-- posite sides of and adjacent said conveyor and in the path of articles supported thereon and acting first on one end and then on the other end of the articles, oneof said pressure exerting means exerting yielding pressurefor selectively oppositely shifting said articles relative to each other and to said conveyor in accordance With varying frictional characteristics of the exterior of said articles, and means disposed in the path of the oppositely shifted articles for causing said conveyor to discharge said articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor.

LArticle sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon a plurality of articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means for feeding and orienting articles into the path of said supporting means transversely of said conveyor wherebyto position said articles thereon in response to movement of said conveyor, pressure exerting means disposed in the path of said conveyor for shifte ing articles thereon relative thereto in one direction, flexible means disposed in the path of said conveyor for selectively shifting articles thereon relative thereto-in an opposite direction in accordance with the presence or absence of material on the exterior of said articles, and means disposed in the path of the oppositely shifted articles for causing said conveyor to discharge the oppositely shifted articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor.

8. Article sorting apparatus comprising a vertically disposed conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon and conveying articles about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means for feeding articles into the path of said supporting means transversely of said conveyor whereby to position articles thereon in response to movement of said conveyor, pressure exerting means disposed adjacent said conveyor and in the path of one end of the supported'articles for shifting said articles in one direction relative to said conveyor, flexible means disposed adjacent said conveyor and in the path of the opposite end of the shifted articles'for selectively shifting certain of said articles in an opposite directiontrans versely ofsaid conveyor in accordance with varying frictional characteristics of the exterior of said articles, and meansdisposed in the path of one end of the oppositely shifted articles for causing said conveyor to discharge the oppositely shifted articles therefrom into separate paths in response to movement of said conveyor.

, 9, Article sorting apparatus comprising, a verticallydisposed conveyor including means for individually supporting thereon and conveying articles about their periphery intermediate theends thereof, means for driving said conveyor, means 'veyorn-pressure exertingf meansdisposed adjacent a;

.said; conveyor and in the,path of one-end of the supportedarticles for:shiftingsaid-articles in one directiorrrel-ative to saidconveyor, flexible means di o e diac said c ve o a d in t p f the, oppositeiend-bfthe shifted, articles for,

:selectivelyshifting certainot said, articles in an opposite direction relative to-said conveyorin accordance withgvaryingfrictional; characteristics of the exterior of saidarticlesand means disposed inthe path; ofone end-of the joppositely shifted articles for causing, said conveyonto dis- 2 charge the oppositely, shifted; articles 1 therefrom into separate pathsin. response-to movement of ;saidconveyor.-;. v 10. Apparatus ,for

bins in accordance with theabsence or presence of residual materialthereon comprising-- a canveyor; including means ;for supporting thereon bobbins abouttheirperiphery intermediate the ends thereof transversely of said conveyon means 1 for drivingsaid conveyor, pressure exertingmeans disposed adjacentsaid conveyor and in the .path ofthe supported bobbins for shifting the bobbins in one direction relative to theo conveyor, flexible means disposed adjacent said conveyor and in the path of the. shifted bobbinsfpr shifting bobbins devoid ofresidual-material in the opposite direction relative to said conveyor, and means disposed adjacentone end-of said :conveyor and in the path of theioppositely shifted bobbins for causing said conveyor to discharge the oppositely shifted bobbins-therefrom in diverging paths in response to movement of saidconveyor. v 11. Apparatus for sorting while conveying bobbins in accordance with the absenceor presence of residual material thereon comprising a conveyor including means for supporting bobbins thereon transversely-of said.conveyor,-.m'eans for driving said conveyor, means disposed'adjacent said conveyor and in thepath of the supported bobbins for shifting the bobbins in'one direction relative to the conveyor -fiexible means disposed adjacent said conveyor and in-the path of'the shifted bobbins. for selectively shiftingv bobbins devoid of residual amaterial thereon in the opposite direction relative ,to; said conveyor, and .means disposed adjacent one end of said .con- ,veyor andin-the path of the oppositely shifted bobbins for causin said conveyor to discharge the-,oppositely shifted bobbins therefrom into separate paths-diverging from the path of said conveyor in' response to movement thereof.

sortin l while conveying bob= of said yconveyor in response to: movement thereof;

13. Apparatus for sorting while conveying bobbins in accordance with the absence or presence of residual material thereon comprising a conveyor including means for individually-supporting bobbins thereon, means for driving said con-.

said conveyor to discharge the oppositely shifted bobbins therefrominto separate paths diverging from the-path of the conveyor in responselto movement thereof.

14;. An article sorting a casing'having .an inlet andoutlet openin-g respectively adjacent itsopposite-ends; a hopper v secured to said casing owith'one end thereof; ex-

, tending through said inlet) opening, a discharge chute secured toisaid casing in registration with saido-utle-t opening, a conveyonincluding aplurality of flights arrangedtransversely; thereof.

journalled in said casing betweensaid hopperand discharge chute, means for drivingsaidconveyer, means adapted for orienting:-and-guidingarticles I fed to saidhopper into-the path of said flights to i position articles: thereon about their periphery intermediate the ends-thereof in response; to movement of said conveyonymeans disposed/ad.- jacent said conveyor; a' rigid member and fa flexible pressure-exerting member f successively engaging oppositeends of the articles for "selectively oppositely shifting; articles thereon relative to said conveyorin-accordancewith variations the frictional contact of: said articles on said flights, and means disposed in pathstraversed by oppositely shifted articles for causingsaid' conveyor to discharge sorted articles therefrom in, diverging paths onto said discharge Ichutein I yarn, thereon comprising an upstanding conveyor 12-; Apparatus for sorting while conveyin bobbins in accordance with the absence or presence of residual material thereon comprising a conveyor including means for supporting bobbins thereon transversely of said cpnve yon means for driving said conveyor means disposed adjacent said conveyor-and in the path of one end of the supported bobbins for shifting the bobbins in one directionrelative to the conveyor, flexiblemeans disposed adjacent said conveyor and in the'path of one-end of the shifted bobbins for selectively shiftingbobbins devoid of residual material thereincluding means fonrindividually supportinga plurality of bobbins'jthereontransversely ofxsaid J con-veyor, means for drivingfisaid conveyor, means for; feeding-, orienting and guidin bobbinsi'intoadjacent one side of said conveyorin the path :of'

one end face of bobbins thereon effective'to'shift bobbins transversely of said conveyor in' one direction in response to movement thereofgmeans disposed adjacent'theopposite sideof said conveyor in the path of the opposite end face of shifted bobbins thereon ineffective :to subsequent-'- ly shift bobbins havingresidual yarn thereon but efiective to shift barebobbins' transversely'of said conveyor in the opposite direction in respcns'e to movement of said conveyor, and-means dis posed adjacent one end of said conveyor in the path of one end portion of oppositely shifted bobbins thereon for causing said conveyor to dis- 11 charge said bobbins therefrom in diverging paths onto said discharge chute in response to movement of said conveyor.

16. An article sorting conveyor unit comprising an upstanding casing having an inlet and outlet opening respectively adjacent its opposite ends, a hopper secured to said casing with one end thereof extending through said inlet opening, a discharge chute secured to said casing in registration with said outlet opening, a conveyor including a plurality of flights arranged transversely thereof journalled in said casing between said hopper and discharge chute, means for driving said conveyor, means adapted for orienting and guiding articles fed to said hopper into the path of said flights to position articles thereon about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof in response to movement of said conveyor, means disposed adjacent said conveyor adapted for shifting articles thereon relative thereto in one direction, pressure exertin means disposed adjacent said conveyor, a rigid member and a flexible pressure-exerting member successively engaging opposite end of the articles for selec-- tively shifting articles thereon relative thereto in an opposite direction whereby to stagger articles on said conveyor in response to movement there- "of in accordance with the presence or absence of wound material on the exterior of said articles,

' and means disposed in paths traversed by staggered articles for causing said conveyor to discharge articles therefrom in diverging paths onto said discharge chute in response to movement of said conveyor.

17. An article sorting conveyor unit comprising an upstanding casing having an inlet and outlet opening respectively adjacent its opposite ends, a'hopper secured to said casing with one end thereof extending through said inlet opening, a discharge chute secured to said casing in registration with'said outlet opening, a conveyor including a plurality of flights arranged transversely thereof journalled in said casing between means disposed adjacent said conveyor adapted for selectively shifting articles thereon relative thereto in an opposite direction whereby to stagger articles on said conveyor in response to movement thereof in accordance with varying frictional characteristics of the exterior of said articles, and means disposed in paths traversed by staggered articles for causing said conveyor to discharge articles therefrom in divergin paths onto said discharge chute in response to movement of said conveyor.

18. An article sorting conveyor unit comprising an upstanding casing provided with an inlet and outlet opening respectively adjacent its opposite ends, a hopper secured to said casing in inclined relation thereto with one end extending through said inlet opening, a discharge chute secured to said casing in inclined relation thereto and in registration with said outlet opening, a conveyor including a plurality of flights arranged transversely thereof journalled in said casing between said hopper and chute, means for driving said conveyor, means adapted for orienting and guiding articles fed to said hopper into the path of said flights to position articles thereon about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof in response to movement of said conveyor, pressure exerting means disposed adjacent said conveyor adapted for shifting articles thereon relative thereto in one direction, flexible means disposed adjacent said conveyor adapted for selectively shifting articles thereon relative thereto in an opposite direction whereby to stagger articles on said conveyor in response to movement thereof in accorlance with variations in frictional characteristics of the exterior of said articles, and means disposed in paths traversed by one end of articles staggered on said conveyor for causing said conveyor to discharge articles therefrom in diverging paths onto said discharge chute in response to movement of said conveyor.

19. A conveyor system adapted for sorting bobbins in accordance with the absence or presence of residual yarn thereon comprisin a primary conveyor, a secondary conveyor coupled thereto at one end, a sorting conveyor disposed to one side of said secondary conveyor adjacent one end thereof and in spaced relation normal thereto, means drivably connecting said conveyors, and means for driving said conveyors as a unit, said sorting conveyor includin a plurality of conveyor flights arranged transversely thereof and a casing provided with a discharge chute adjacent one end thereof and a hopper adjacent its opposite end with one end thereof in cooperative relation with said conveyor flights, the opposite end of said hopper extending across the path of said secondary conveyor and provided with means for deflecting bobbins therefrom into said hopper and for subsequently orienting and positioning bobbins centrally in the path of said conveyor flights whereby to position bobbins thereon about their periphery intermediate the ends thereof in response to movement of said sorting conveyor, pressure exerting means disposed adjacent the sorting conveyor, a rigid member and a flexible pressure-exerting membersuccessively engaging opposite ends of the articles for staggering bobbins thereon relative to each other transversely of said sorting conveyor in accordance with the presence or absence of wound material on said bobbins, and meansdisposed in the path of the staggered bobbins for causing said sorting conveyor to discharge staggered bobbins therefrom in diverging paths onto said discharge chute in response to movement of said sorting conveyor.

HAROLD W. BALL. FERDINAND F. STANGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,690 Hazard Jan. 29, 1918 2,063,485 Carris Dec. 8, 1936 2,095,530 Reiners Oct. 12, 1937 2,340,775 Synde'r Feb. 1, 1944 2,346,583 Jackson Apr. 11, 1944 2,369,557 Gettleman Feb. 13, 1945 Cotchett Jan. 18, 1949 

